Google's Pixel 9a is here and Apple can't beat its cheaper price tag

Google has added a new smartphone to its Pixel line-up with a budget-friendly version of the Pixel 9 and 9 Pro that beats the latest Apple iPhone 16e prices

Google has unveiled its latest smartphone, with the launch of the Pixel 9a. The tech giant gave the world its first glimpse of the new device on Wednesday (March 19) and it's more affordable than you’d expect.

The Pixel 9a is touted as a budget-friendly version of the standard Pixel 9, with prices starting at £499 direct from Google. This is £150 cheaper than the Pixel 9’s recently reduced £649 price tag and £100 less than Apple’s new £599 iPhone 16e.

However, older models have seen a hefty price drop since rumours began swirling of a newer model, with last year’s Pixel 8a dropping more than £160 to £334.99 at Amazon. We’ve yet to see other retailers begin taking orders for the Pixel 9a, we expect Amazon to be among those to go live soon.

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For those who prefer to spread the cost, the likes of EE, O2 and Mobiles.co.uk will almost certainly offer the device one a range of contracts, while Sky Mobile is one of our favourite choices thanks to its low or zero upfront cost plans. Despite its lower price, the 9a has a 6.3” Actua display, 128GB storage, a dual rear camera with 48MP wide and 13MP ultrawide lenses.

There’s also a choice of four colours, Obsidian, Porcelain, Peony and Iris – more simply known as black, white, pink and purple. The Pixel 9a is packed with Artificial Intelligence (AI) features thanks to Gemini, the brand’s built-in AI assistant.

This can be used for countless tasks including booking a trip and suggesting cooking recipes alongside AI-powered photography features like ‘Best Take’ and ‘Magic Eraser’. There’s also a set of AI-powered call features with Pixel Call Assist, which helps users hear callers more clearly, avoid spam calls and more.

It can also handle the elements thanks to its IP68 dust and water resistance rating. It boasts a battery life of more than 30 hours thanks to what Google says is the ‘best battery life of any Pixel’, while the ‘Extreme Battery Save’ mode can see it run for up to 100 hours.

Other standout features include Car Crash Detection and Find My Device, with Google dishing out regular Security updates for seven years. It also boasts a faster Tensor processor, which Google says is powered by its ‘fastest, most efficient chip’ ever.

This may not beat the performance of the more premium Pixel 9 and 9 Pro models, but the 9a is much more affordable than its predecessors and is half the price of the 9 Pro at launch, which would’ve set shoppers back £999. Even with the 9 Pro and Pro XL discounted to £749 and £899 respectively, the high prices may put off some shoppers, but the 9a offers a more budget-friendly alternative without sacrificing quality.

It comes with a USB-C cable, but one downside is that – like many new devices – it doesn’t include a charging plug. For those looking for an even more affordable option, the Pixel 8a is still a great option with its new £334.99 price at Amazon.

Shoppers who opted for the 8a have described it as an ‘amazing’ and ‘affordable’ phone, as one reviewer wrote: “Amazing, an affordable Pixel phone, what more can you ask for? Battery lasts all day, system is fast and snappy with great cameras to meet the needs of most people. Packed full of AI features.”

Another said: “A great phone packed with features, very easy to learn, very intuitive. The battery life is great – I’m a phone addict and get a full day’s use out of it. The camera is great too. The speaker is a bit low compared to my last phone but I use earphones most of the time anyway. It’s very quick and smooth.”

However, the same user added: “The only downside is the time it takes to charge – it’s got an 18w charge rate and there’s no charger in the box. You can charge it wirelessly but it’s only 15w charge, but this wouldn't put me off buying it again when the next model comes out. Google have really outdone themselves here.”